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What computer should I buy?

Live Versions:
Live 9

Operating System:
ALL

Having a rock-solid audio system is made easy with the growth of processing power commercially available in the market today. But there are always some factors to take into consideration. While we cannot recommend any specific brands or models, here are some guidelines to keep in mind when purchasing a new computer for audio production.

Desktop, Laptop, Mac or PC?

It is wholly arbitrary which platform you use and we recommend to use whatever feels the most comfortable, within your budget.

If you are already using an audio interface, it is always a good idea to make sure that your system will support it. Ask yourself what requirements are important to run any existing instruments or hardware you have, for example:

Is your soundcard compatible with the operating system that is included with the computer?

Most hardware companies have dedicated support sections or forums, filled with users documenting any problems they've encountered, and a quick google/browse should reveal any note-worthy issues.

Smaller laptops can come with limited hardware specs, so a little research can save any headaches down the line, avoiding wasting precious music time spent on troubleshooting.

What CPU?

Processor options when buying a Mac are usually condensed to high-performance Intel-based chips, but in with PCs the options are considerably broader.

Generally, multi-core Intel-based processors are considered among the best in the market, the most powerful being in the Intel i5 and i7 families. With high-end Mac computers, the Intel Xeon is widely regarded as one the most powerful processors in the market, and rightly so.

Slightly older dual-core Pentium chips, from the same lineage as the i-series, can also perform well but the i-series are a newer and more powerful technology. Intel Atom computers, while practical, are not built for robust processes like audio production.

The Intel website documents the differences between it's current models in this detailed comparison chart.

It is also worth noting that some AMD chips can meet the same spec as Intel, and are not to be disregarded. Balancing your budget against performance is the key and a really useful tool to assist with this is CPUBenchmark.net, which provides performance test results for most CPUs on the market.

Hard Drive?

In basic Projects a regular hard drive will suffice, but when Projects become larger, especially when streaming groups of large audio files straight from a disk, speed becomes a factor.

When possible, using a 7200 RPM (revolutions per minute) hard drive is recommended. With commercial computer packages, this upgrade is offered at an additional cost, so keep an eye out for it when purchasing.

Better again, but considerably more expensive, are SSDs (solid-state drives). Without any internal moving parts, SSDs are becoming more popular as price reduces. If it is within your budget, a SSD can really add to your computer performance - but is not essential.

What about RAM?

We recommend using the 32-bit version of Live, which uses up to 4 GB of RAM. Even though the minimum recommended amount of RAM is 2 GB, having more is always a good idea when running external plugins or loading Live Sets with many clips and samples. To future-proof your new computer for the next few years, please consider 4 GB or more of RAM.

Like CPUs, RAM also comes in different speeds, so checking the RAM benchmark website will further guide you in the right direction.

Note: The 64-bit version of Live can utilize considerably more memory, with a limit theoretically higher than any home computer could house. If you wish to run the 64-bit version and it is within your budget to purchase additional RAM, please take a look through this FAQ for some clarifcation on the most commonly asked questions.

Numbers and charts are well and good when shopping around, but the best advice to take, is to use the above information as a guide, and to buy the most powerful computer you can afford.